Traffic-signal device



Aug. 26, 1924. 1,506,370

A. GUTTENTAG TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Filed July 24, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 26 1924. 4 1,506,370

A. GUTTENTAG TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Filed July 24, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1924. 1,506,370

A. GUTTENTAG TRAFFIC S IGNAL DEVI CE Filed July 24. 1920 s Sheets-Sheet B I A s 3 Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES ABE GUTTENTAG, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TRAFFIC- IGN-AL DEVICE.

Application filed July 24, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ABE GUTTENTAG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of ()hio, has invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Traffic-Signal Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in traffic signal devices. The object of my invention is to not only regulate or direct vehicle trafiic at street intersections, but also to regulate the traflic of pedestrians at such street intersections in accordance with the vehicle traffic.

In large cities at busy street intersections it is common practice to have a traffic policeman provided with a suitable target or signal located in the center ot the street to regulate vehicle trafl ic and also to provide a traffic policeman at each one of the four corners to govern or regulate the movements of the pedestrians.

In my invention the four extra tratiic policemen are dispensed with and the traffic policeman in the center of the street in addition to regulating vehicle traflic also has under his control devices located ateach corner for regulating the movements of the pe destrians.

When the traflic signal is moved to signal vehicle trafiic to move north and south the devices at each street corner are operated to allow the pedestrians to travel north and south and to block the movements of pedestrians traveling east and west.

The devices at the street corners are preterably in the form of curtains made of cotton or wire mesh which when lowered obstruct the movements of pedestrians to pre- 0 vent their crossing the street and when raised permit the pedestrians to cross the street.

The curtains are preferably electrically operated by motors under control of the policeman stationed in the center of the street, or

they can be mechanically operated.

The motors can be controlled directly by the traflic signal when it is moved so as to lower one set of curtains and at the same time raise the other set of curtains. In this connection, the signal device is provided with suitable electrical contacts which open and close the circuits of the motors at the proper time.

Instead of having the curtains operated automatically by the movement of the sig- SeriaI No. 398,768.

nal, extra push buttons or switches can be arranged under control of the .tra'liic policeman stationed in the center of the street who can cause the curtains to be raised and lowered at will regardless of the position ot the signal which regulates vehicle trafiic.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the general arrangement of my device.

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of the circuit showing the manner in which the devices are controlled.

Fig. 3 is a front View showing in detail one form of curtain operated by a motor.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of Fig. 3 on the line 66.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view ot Fig. 3 on the line 5-5.

Fig. 6 is a front view of one of the curtains operated by a motor controlled ratchet arrangement.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of Fig. 6 on the line 7-7.

Fig. 8 is a sectional View of Fig. 6 on the line 88.

Referring first to Fig. 1 it will be noted that each corner of the two intersecting streets A and B is provided with two curtains or obstructing devices 2 and 3. At the center line of the two intersecting streets is the ordinary traliic signal device operated by a traflic policeman for regulating vehicle traffic. The two curtains at each corner are for regulating pedestrian tratlic.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4t and 5 which show one form of curtain it will be noted that the curtain 2 is preferably made of mesh which is mounted upon the ordinary spring roller 4-0. The spring roller is supported by the lugs 42 in the ordinary manner. The support for the curtain comprises'the two uprights 38 and 39 preferably made of channel iron which form a groove for the bar 36 attached to the lower end of the curtain 2. Two of these curtains with their supports are placed at each corner as shown in Fig. 1, each curtain being controlled by a motor M. Each motor is provided with a drum 31 to which are attached the two cables 32 and 33 which are fastened to the bar 36 of the curtain. Each of the cables 32 and 33 passes around a pulley 35 or 34:. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4: the motor M and the pulleys are mounted below the surface of the sidewalk.

I tion of the motor \4.

WVhen in its normal position the curtain bar 36 is raised to a suflicient height to allow pedestrians to pass under the bar 36 and when in its lowered position as shown in Fig. 3 the bar 36 is about two feet above the sidewalk.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 it will be noted that the motor M is provided with a gear or ratchet wheel 50 which engages the ratchet 51. This ratchet 51 1s rigidly attached to the bars 36 which support the curtain 2. The ratchet bar 51 is supported by and moves within the groove of the channel iron upright 38. The channel iron upright 39 does not carry a similar ratchet bar 51 but simply forms a guide or support for the curtain bars 36. The two uprights 38 and 39 are braced at the top by means of the cross bar 60. When the curtain 2 is lifted by means of the motor M the upper bar 36 engages or nearly engages the cross-bar 60 and at this time there is enough clearance between the sidewalk and the lower bar 36 to allow pedestrians to )ass.

1 Referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the motor M is of the series type being provided with the armature and field winding 16. In the operation of the device in order to raise and lower the curtains it is necessary to reverse the direction of rota- This reversal is controlled by means of the traflic signal 4 located at the middle line of the intersection of the two streets A and B. This traflic signal is of the ordinary type adapted to be marked with the designations Stop and Go. Associated with the traffic signal 4 are two sets of contacts one set comprising contacts 10, 11, 12 and '13 and the other set comprising contacts 6, 7 8 and 9.

Normally the two sets of contacts are open or disengaged but when the traffic signal 4 is turned to its full extent in one direction to allow vehicular traffic to proceed along the street B, contact 8 engages contact 9 while contact 6 engages contact 7. When traflic is to be diverted to street A contact 10 engages contact 11 while contact 12 en gages contact 13.

In Fig. 2 but a single motor is illustrated but in reality there will be preferably eight of such motors where eight curtains are provided such as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the operation is as follows: When the traflic is to proceed along the street B the traiiice signal 4 operated by the handle 5 is in the extreme position shown on Fig. 2 with the contact 8 engaging contact 9 and contact 6 engaging contact 7. In this position and with these contacts closed the circuit of the motor M of the curtains 3 is completed by the following path: source of current supply X, plus, leads 14, 20, contact 8, contact 9, leads 18,

17, field winding 16, 21, contact 7 contact 6, lead 18, armature 30, lead 19, minus, back to the source of current supply X.

The operation of the four motors M causes the curtains 3 at each corner to be raised. In the form shown in Fig. 3 the curtain raises by means of the tension spring (not shown) in the roller 40 while in the form shown in Fig. 6 the motor M causes the rotation of the gear wheel which in engaging the ratchet 51 causes the curtain to be raised.

When it is desired to allow traflic to proceed along street A the signal 4 is operated causing contact 10 to engage contact 11 and contact 12 to engage contact 13. The closing of these contacts again causes the operation of the four motors controlling the curtains 3 at each corner which at this time causes a reversal in the rotation of the four motors. The reversal of these four motors causes the curtain 3 to be lowered to assume the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The circuit for causing the operation of the motors in a reverse direction is as follows:

Source of current supply X plus 14 contact 10, contact 11, 15, field winding 16, 17,

contact 13, contact 12, 18, armature 30, 19

minus back to the source of current supply X. At the time the contacts 10, 11 and 12 and 13 are closed, contacts 6, 7 and 8 and 9 are open.

While the curtains 3 are being lowered the four curtains 2 at each corner are being raised by the operation of their respective motors M in the manner described in connection with the operation of the set of curtains 3.

While I have shown a series type motor a motor of the shunt type can also be used. The reversal of the direction of rotation of each type motor is described and illustrated on pages 46 and 47, Sec. 15 of The International Library of Technology, copyrighted in 1905. r

The main feature of the invention is to regulate the movements of the pedestrians at intersecting street corners in conformity with the movement of vehicles at such intersections. While traflic is moving along street B the curtains 2 at each corner are lowered to prevent pedestrians crossing street B and while traflic is moving along street A curtains 2 are raised while our tains 3 are lowered to obstruct the movements of pedestrians across street A.

If necessary suitable brakes can be applied to the shafts of the motors M to prevent the weight ofthe curtains or tension of the springs to cause the motor to rotate Referring to 2 the traflic policeman operating the signal 4 need only exert suf ficient pressure upon the handle 5 to maintain the contacts closed until thecurtains have been fully raised or lowered.

Having thus described my invention, Wh at I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main traflic regulator, two auxiliary traffic regulators positioned at each corner of intersecting streets, means for operating said main traflic regulator for causing the operation of either of said auxiliary traffic regulators positioned at each corner.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main traffic regulator and a plurality of auxiliary regulators, said auxiliary regulators comprising sliding gates and supports therefor, motor mechanism, for operating said gates, means controlled by said main traffic regulator for causing the operation of said motor mechanism for causing certain of said gates to slide in one direction and others to slide in reverse directions.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main traffic regulator, a plurality of gates and vertical supports therefor in which said gates slide, motor mechanism for operating said gates, means controlled by said main traffic regulator for reversing the operation of said motor mechanism for causing said gates to alternately slide up and down in said supports.

l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main trafiic regulator, tWo auxiliary trafiic regulators positioned at each corner of intersecting streets, motor mechanism, means for operating said main traffic regulator for causing the operation of said motor mechanism, said motor mechanism arranged for alternately operating said auxiliary regulators.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main traflio regulator and a plurality of auxiliary regulators, contacts associated with said main trafiic regulator, motor mechanism for operating said auxiliary regulators, means controlled by the operation of said main trafiic regulator When engaging said contacts to operate said motor mechanism so as to cause the alternate op eration of' said auxiliary regulators.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

ABE GUTTENITAG. lVitnesses Josnrrr H. MELLEN, J. M. GOURLAY. 

